[meteorite-list] Labeling specimens

From: Jason Utas <meteoritekid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:16:33 -0800
Message-ID: <93aaac891002280316i495cbb97i376a6b907c6d8c8c_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hello Arnaud, All,
I agree with you - to an extent.
While we have inked many of our specimens, we have never sold a single
meteorite (and the few we've traded were never marked).
With so many collectors buying, selling, and trading collection
pieces, I can easily visualize the numbering situation getting far out
of control.

But...an issue still remains.

I can easily remember the 174 gram stone that was on ebay no more than
a few months back - that was from a witnessed fall in Northwest
Africa, but that didn't have a name because the buyer (and his
supplier - I asked) had forgotten its name. If the collector who had
originally purchased said meteorite had numbered it and kept his
records straight, that individual wouldn't have lost its identity. It
is now a "fresh unclassified NWA stone."
At least, that's what it sold as on ebay....

So...there's something of a dilemma. Yes, stones shouldn't me
overmarked. But we have the opportunity to ensure that stones will
not be misnamed or misplaced.
And that's where the judgement call must happen; people shouldn't
inherently mark their meteorites with collection numbers, because,
well, it can't be undone. But at the same time, people know how well
they keep track of things; if they know that they're that
disorganized, perhaps they should go and draw on their meteorites. If
it's the only way they can be sure of keeping track of their
collection with 110% certainty, I would say that they should go ahead
and do it.

I've seen more than one meteorite go miscataloged and lose its
identity; it was enough for me to say that the person who allowed it
to happen was grossly negligent, and didn't have the *right* to curate
such scientifically important items.
After all, when all we are is a temporary steward to a rock that's
held its identity for more than four and a half billion years, who are
we to misplace its label and effectively erase its terrestrial
history.

Hence my two-mindedness. I think that, yes, if everyone numbers their
meteorites, there will be problems - unless, of course, there is a
universal system off of which numbers can be derived.
But that's not going to happen.
And at the same time, I think that our current system of doing things
is inadequate; meteorites are being honestly misnamed and misplaced in
such a way that they lose their identities.
That simply shouldn't happen. Ever. We have brains that are more
than capable of ensuring that it doesn't happen, so the fact that it
does only goes to show that keeping such things straight simply isn't
a priority.

So...I would advocate having meteorites with multiple numbers on them.
 I'd rather have a meteorite with a known identity - with three
numbers on it - than a meteorite with no identity and no numbers on
it. Hell, I'd rather have ten meteorites with five numbers on them
than a thirty meteorites without names.
Or a hundred. After all, they'd be completely worthless.

Just my opinion.

Jason







On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 1:51 AM, The Tricottet Collection
<tricottetcoll at live.com> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I would like to disagree with everyone here. If we all start painting numbers on meteorites, in 2-3 generations, all specimens will be full of useless graffiti - who will know which number matches which "minor" collection? So the problem would remain exactly the same. When I say "minor", I mean not a lot of people have a collection which can be compared to a Nininger, Monnig or any national museum collection! And with time, with more maturity, what if you find your inventory numbering system inefficient, what if you decide to change it?
>
> Personally I will never paint anything on my collection specimens. I prefer to take 1 or more pictures per specimen + weight + other important characteristics, label them and keep then in different boxes.
>
> Just my opinion,
>
> Best,
> Arnaud
>
>
>
> The Tricottet Collection of Natural History Specimens
> (Minerals, Fossils & Meteorites)
> www.thetricottetcollection.com
> Facebook: The Tricottet Collection
> Twitter: TricottetColl
>
>
>
>
>> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:52:34 +0000
>> From: msgmeteorites at googlemail.com
>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Labeling specimens
>>
>> Hi Ed, Svend, Jason, all,
>>
>> Very good points indeed and interesting reading. Theres a lot to chew
>> over there but looks like i may be taking the plunge and starting the
>> process at some point.
>>
>> Thanks very much for all your considered and informative replies
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Martin
>> ______________________________________________
>> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection.
> http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469227/direct/01/
> ______________________________________________
> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
Received on Sun 28 Feb 2010 06:16:33 AM PST